The temperature in office and commercial spaces is generally controlled by central systems in discrete locations. Often, workers are unable to get comfortable because they cannot control HVAC system settings. Commercial heating systems are also unpredictable in extreme weather and are often operated minimally during “off-hours.” In order to facilitate comfort and productivity, commercial entities may provide or allow workers to provide their own electric or gas space heaters. However, although the cost of such heaters is small, their safety is uncertain, especially when they include electrical heating coils exposed to the air and the body is made of cheap meltable plastic material. More expensive space heaters include ceramic models that provide more safety but still present space and energy efficiency problems in the office. Furthermore, small heaters must be placed in proximity to a worker to provide heat and may represent a fire hazard. Large heaters that may be placed at a safe distance may be noisy, dry the already parched winter air, and take up valuable commercial space. Space heaters are often equipped with blowers in order to direct the heat produced by the elements. One of the solutions for improving the footprint used by space heaters has been addressed by the COZY FOOT WARMER™ and related products sold by many different retailers. These products include a soft rubber mat that includes a heating element running through it that can be plugged into a standard outlet. As such, these devices are useful for providing heat akin to a space heater without taking up vertical space. A variation of the COZY FOOT WARMER™ allows the device to be mounted vertically.
Many workers in commercial spaces currently use chairmats. Such mats provide both safety and convenience for personnel in rolling and/or steno chairs which are generally used to more effectively navigate workspaces. On hard flooring such as cement the mats keep chairs from rolling too quickly and out of control, and also prevent unpleasant noise. On soft flooring these mats allow the worker to move more easily where otherwise the chair wheels get stuck or stalled in carpeting, impeding free motion. The mats also prevent chair wheels from catching on carpets, power cords, files, etc. As such, the mats reduce wear and tear on carpeting or other flooring. These mats are usually made of plastic materials, such as vinyl, acrylic, or other plastics that are flexible and strong. In addition, many of these chairmats have anti-slip mechanisms for the particular environment of their intended use. They may include “spikes” that adhere to carpeting or an alternate type of material if the mat is to placed on another type of surface like concrete, wood, vinyl, etc.
Electrical heating elements have been placed in blankets, chairs, mattresses and other items of furniture for some time. Placing such heating elements in an office chair or other piece of furniture made of wood, cloth, or a soft plastic is impractical and unsafe, because the presence of heating coils around foam and fabric increases cost and safety concerns that may not be acceptable for workplace standards.